November 19, 2014

Baylor Fan's Guide to Week 13

Jockeying for final position is in full effect. With only three more weeks to go, the most important thing for Baylor fans to do is to cheer for the Bears and the Bears just need to win-win-win. That said, if you are looking for some other football to watch and wonder what could best help the Bears in their quest to the top, here's my extremely lay-opinion on the topic.

Note - these in no way are predictions, just comments on how things could be...also doesn't even reflect my allegiances, per se. Just geared solely towards how to best position Baylor, and that's it.

Wednesday Nov 19

Kent State at Buffalo - Bears obviously need the Bulls to win out to gain bowl-eligibility and strengthen that "cream-puff" schedule of theirs. Kent State has only won one game, so this one, at least, looks like a possible W for Buffalo. If they can get out from under the 6 feet of snow. Also Kent State was on Ohio State's non-con schedule, which is pretty weak.

Thursday, Nov 20

K State at West Virginia - Baylor needs Kansas State to do what they could not - win at Morgantown. They need to have K State looking pristine coming into the last game of the season. Still, a close game makes WVU look like a good team. Keep it close, but Snydercat victory in the end.

Saturday, Nov 22

Indiana at Ohio State - tOSU will win this game most likely, but if it is anything like the low-margin-of-victory that TCU had over Kansas, Baylor can still leapfrog.

Rutgers at Michigan State - Rutgers win weakens tOSU's SOS. That is all.

Kansas at Oklahoma - Sooners need to blow KU out of the water with a 30 point victory. After losing and being ticked off, they just might.

Minnesota at Nebraska - Not sure how much longer the playoff committee can justify tOSU and TCU being higher than Baylor if Minnesota is a difference-maker with more than 3 losses. Baylor would do well with a BIG Nebraska win.

Marshall at UAB - Marshall wins this one, going 11-0... and yet still not in the discussion. Probably fair, but BCS would likely have had them in the top 25.

Penn State at Illinois - PSU took Ohio State to double overtime. That looks horrible if Penn State (currently 6-4) loses big to Illinois (4-6). Just saying.

Virginia Tech at Wake Forest - Go Demon Deacons - Make that Va Tech victory over tOSU look even worse for the Buckeyes.

Washington State at Arizona State - Just rooting for the underdog here, WSU. No other real factor at play.

Boston College at Florida State - Stranger things have happened. Perhaps Jameis Winston can't come from behind to win again? I doubt BC has what it takes, but that's the underdog to root for.

Ole Miss at Arkansas - Arkansas shocked LSU. Let's have them upturn the apple cart on Ole Miss as well.

Arizona at Utah - no real gung ho need here, but a Utah win knocks another 2 loss team further out.

Wisconsin at Iowa - Same deal with an Iowa win.

Louisville at Notre Dame - Take your pick.

Maryland at Michigan- another pick'em.

Texas Tech at Iowa State - we need Tech to win at least one more game, preferably solidly. Not sure they will, though.

Western Carolina at Alabama - Well, Alabama has such a cream puff non-conference, I don't expect them to lose, perhaps the Playoff Committee punishes them for... oh wait, no they won't. To be fair, they did have (and beat) WVU in their non-conf. schedule, which somehow excuses the other three non-power-5 games. But of course, Baylor had how many non-power-5? Oh yeah, 3.

Colorado at Oregon - Oregon will win. Very little can be done about that. Maybe it is sloppy?

Samford at Auburn - OK, now if Samford (7-3) could somehow beat an Auburn (7-3) team that could then upset Alabama after getting really mad? Perfect dumpster fire.

Miami (FL) at Virginia - a poor showing by Miami should make FSU's near escape last week less impressive. Then again, what FSU win has been clean and impressive lately?

Vanderbilt at Miss St. - Vandy. Won't happen, but the SEC dumpster fire completes by rooting for the underdog in every SEC game. Best hope to knock Mississippi State out is Ole Miss next week.

OSU at Baylor - Everyone in Black. Baylor needs to win. Big. Statement win. But I'll take a W any way we can get it.

Missouri at Tennessee - A Tennessee win would continue to burn down the SEC, this time in the East.

USC at UCLA - however unlikely, I'd like to see a USC win to keep UCLA from having too high ambitions. Make them both 3 loss teams.